Metal-feeder for linotype and similar machines



J. H. W. KNOOP.

METAL FEEDER FOB LINO TYPE AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0, 1919.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

4. SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. H. W. 'KNOOP. METAL FEEDER FOR LINOTYPE AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 10, 1919.

PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- John/Henry J. H. W. KNOOP.

METAL FEEDER FOR LINOTYPE AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 10. 1919.

1,390, M0. Patentedsept. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- J. H. W. KNOOP.

METAL FEEDER FOR LINOTYPE AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 1919.

1390,1 10. I Patentedfiept. 6,1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

E I l JomT HENRY W. KNOOP, 0F HIGHLAND PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR T0 KNOOP METAL FEEDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METAL-FEEDER FOR LINO'IYPE AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed November 10', 1919. Serial No. 336,994.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY W. KNoor, a citizen of (the United States, resid ing in Highland Park, Upper Darb Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Metal-Feeders for Linotype and Similar Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeding device for the pots of linotype and similar machines which will prevent the machine from performing its functions unless the molten metal in the pot is at the desired level. I

A further object of the invention is to construct a feeding device whereby the-cast metal bar, or pig, may be properly fed into the pot without splashing.

The invention also relates to certain de tails, which will be described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, illustrating my invention and showing the pot in full lines and certain portions of a linotype machine in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged side views, showing the mechanism in different positions in feeding the pig to the pot;

Fig. 5 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 6, Fig. 1; a

Fig. 7 is a side view, showing the position of one of the levers when the pig has passed the lever;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a detail of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the lever which is shifted to stop the mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a view of the rocker which shifts the lever illustrated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the levers which actuates the rocker;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the lever which is held by the rocker;

F ig, 13 is a perspective view of the brake and catch;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the stir rup; and

Fig. 15 is a view illustrating a modification of the invention.

In order to avoid confusion, I have only shown sufficient of a linotype machine to illustrate my invention, particularly the clutch mechanism which is indirectly connected to my improved mechanism for feeding thev pig into the pot. 1 is a melting pot of a linotype machine, 111 the present instance. 2 is a guide for the metal pig a, which is of type metal, the lower end of which melts off as it enters the molten metal in the pot 1. The guide 2 is mounted on a base 3, adjustably secured'to the upper portion of the pot, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the construction being such as to allow for the entire removal of the feeding mechanism when desired. In the present. instance, the base 3 is hinged to the pot at 4, as shown in Fig. 2. 5 is a stirrup, which is slotted at 6 to receive the pivot pin 7 secured to the bracket 8 attached to the base 3. The stirrup swings on a pivot and is allowed to have a longitudinal movement when the end of the pig is in the stirrup. The object of this stirrup is to prevent the following pig from splashing after the last portion of the preceding pig, which has passed the brake, has descended into the molten metal, at which time the following one is being held until more metal is required. The descending pig will now be caught by the stirrup and will press the stirrup down until the pig 33 is in line with the pivoted dog 29. The pig will remain suspended in the stirrup until the backward movement of the pot (the pot being movedtoward and from the plate 26) permits the pin 33 to act on the dog 29, thus forcing the stirrup out from under the pig, permitting it todescend into the molten metal without splashing. The stirrup will, by means of the spring 50, resume its normal position.

9 is a brake shown clearly in Fig. 13 having lugs 10 through which passes the pivot pin 11 extending through the bracket 12 on a depending portion 13 of :the base 3, forming a continuation of the guide2, which is detachably mounted on the base. The guide is semi-circular in cross section, while the extension 13 is a complete circle and incloses the pig. The brake 9 has an arm 14, the upper end of which is rounded, as at 15, and enters a socket 16 in one arm of a lever 17 pivoted at 18 to a bracket on the guide 2. The other arm 19 of the lever terminates in a squared end, which is controlled by a long pig (1.

stirrup arm 20 ofa rocker 21 pivoted at 22 to a bracket 22 on the frame of the machine.

. 24 is a float located in the pot 1 and projecting from the float is a rod 25, which has a head 25 on which the long arm 20 of the rocker rests, as shown in Fig. 1. WVhen the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and the pot is moved toward the plate 26, so as to project the metal into the mold, the movement causes the lever 17 to be actuated, due to the fact that the arm 20 of the rocker 21 is in line with the end 19 of said lever. When the lever 17 is actuated, the forked end 16 of the arm will move outward against the tension of the spring 27. This will move the arm 14 of the brake 9 outward and will release the brake, freeing the pig a from the control of said brake.

The dog 29 is pivoted to the stirrup at 28 and is slotted at 30 to receive a pin 31, which acts as a pivot when the stirrup is depressed, as in Fig. 1, by the weight of the A spring 32, attached to the extension 13 of the plate 3, is also attached to the dog and tends to hold the dog against the pivot pin 31. On the return movementof the arm 14, as the pot recedes, the pin 33 on the brake 9 will force the stirrup awa from under the pig a, due to the fact that the slot 30 for the pivot pin 31 is elongated and the pig willdrop by its own weight, passing the and entering the molten metal in the pot, as in Fig. 3. Then, as the movement of the lever 17 is continued by the spring 27, the brake 9 will be forced against the side of the pig, and its sharp edge will hold the pig in position.

Mounted on the pivot pin 18, which carries the lever 17, is a lever 34, one arm 35 of which is broad and rests against the side of the pig a, as shown clearly'in Fig. 6, while the other arm has a lateral projection 36, which extends over the long arm 20 of the rocker 21, so that when the upper end of the pig passes below the lower end of the lever 34, as in Fig. 7, the lever 34 moves to the position shown in said figure, as the lateral extension 36 is in the form of a P a weight, and this drops on the arm 20 of the rocker 21 and actuates the rocker, stopping the machine. When a new pig is placed in position, it pushes out the arm 35 and the lever 34 assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

The rocker 21 has two arms 37 and 38, Fig. 10, and located in front of the rocker is a lever 40 pivoted at 39 to the frame of the machine.

It will be noticed, on referring to Fig. 2, that the pivot of the lever 40, is midway between the arms 37 and 38 of the rocker. The arm 38 projects above the lever 40 and the arm 37 projects under the lever, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, so thatany movement of the rocker in either direction will actuate the lever in one direction. The end of the lever 40 is turned to form a projection 41, which is located at the side of the plate 42, Figs. 2 and 8, and pivoted to this plate is a dog 43, forced outward by a. spring 43*. When the lever 40 is in its central position, it is raised clear of this dog 43, as in Fig. 1, butthe moment the rocker 21 is moved either by the float 24, or the lever 34, lever 40 will drop and the end 41 of the same will drop back of the dog 43.

44 is a slide, which has a given reciprocating motion and controls the shifter and the brake mechanism. The outward movement of this slide is regulated by a set screw 45 on a projection of the plate 42. The pivoted dog 43, when projected, is in the path of the slide 44. When the lever is out of line with the dog, then the dog yields under the movement of the slide, but should the lever be moved into a, position back of the dog 43, when the end 41 of the lever would prevent yielding of the dog there'- by locking the dog in its projected position, which, in turn, would prevent the slide 44 moving its full extent, and, as this slide is connected to they starting and stopping mechanism of the machine, the machine will automatically stop, owing to the fact that the slide was unable to complete its full movement. This slide is common to machines of this-type, and is shownin the well known Mergenthaler machines, such as illustrated in Patent No. 1,154,057, of September 21st, 1915. My improved mechanism provides means for preventing the full movement of the slide, or allowing the full movement, as the case may be.

If the metal in the pot be at the proper level and there is a pig in the guide 2, then the lever will remain in the raised position and will not interfere with the movement of the slide, and the pig will not be fed. When 110 the level of the metal in the pot is lowered the arm 17 will be in line with the arm 20, as in Fig. 1, and will be actuated to feed the 1 as the pot moves forward, but should the level of the molten metal in the pot be further lowered, then the lever 40 would be operated to stop the machine. Should the heightof the metal be increased above the normal, the lever 40 would then be operated and the machine stopped. Should a pig pass the end of the leverv 34, then the lever 40 would be operated and the machine would stop until another pig was placed in posi tion, which would reset the lever 34, and the lever 40 would assume its normal position.

Thus it will be seen, by the above construction, that I am enabled to make a device which will not allow the machine to operate unless the molten metal in the pot is at the proper level; or the pig is feeding properly. Splashing of the molten metal is also prevented, as the pig cannot be fed carelessly into the pot.

In Fig. 15, I have illustrated a modification of the invention, in which the stirrup 5 is pivotally mounted on a pin 11 of the brake 9, the stirrup having an extension 5 to which is pivotally connected a hook 29 which is arranged to engage a pin 33 on a lever 17 which engages the arm 14 and operates the brake 9 The prings 34% retract the stirrup 5 when the stirrup is not supporting a pi This construction operates in substantially the same manner as that illustrated in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. The combination in linotype and similar machines, of means for operating the driving mechanism; a lever for preventing the operation of the said mechanism and stopping the machine; a metal pot for molten metal; means for feeding pig metal into the pot; and a float in the pot, said float actuating the means for stopping the machine when the metal in the pot is above or below the normal level. V

2. The combination in means for feeding metal to a pot of linotype and similar machines, of a pot for molten metal; means for feeding a pig to the pot; means for controlling the movement of the pig; means for op erating the stopping mechanism; a float in the pot, said stopping mechanism being controlled by the float and by the means for regulating the feeding of the pig to the pot.

3. The combination of a movable melting pot for type metal; means for feeding a metal pig to the pot; a float in the pot; a rocker actuated by the float, the rocker actuating the release mechanism for the pig; a lever controlled by the rocker; a reciprocating bar controlling the stopping and starting mechanism of the machine; a dog ar ranged to be moved into the path of the said bar, said lever being arranged to be moved back of the dog to prevent movement of the bar when the metal in the pot is above or be low the normal.

l. The combination of a movable melting pot; a metal pig carrier; means for feeding the pig; mechanism for controlling the movement of the pig of molten metal; a iioat in the melting pot; a rocker pivoted to the fixed portion of the machine and having an arm normally in line with the mechanism for controlling the mechanism of the pig; a plunger having a rod located under the arm of the rocker, said rocker having two pins; a pivoted lever actuated by the pins, one pin extending above one arm of the lever, the other pin extending below the other arm of the lever; a sliding bar controlling the starting and stopping mechanism of the machine; a dog arranged to be moved into the path of the sliding bar; and a lever,

when actuated, resting back of the dog p=reventing its movement and thus stopping the forward movement of the sliding bar and stopping the machine.

5. The combination of a movable type metal pot; a metal p'ig'holder; means for controlling the movement of the pig in the holder; a lever held out of action by the pig; a float in the pot having a rod; a pivoted rocker having an arm in the path of the rod and in the path of the lever and arranged in such a position as to actuate the pig feeding means when the pot is moved; and means controlled by the rocker for stopping the machine when the float is moved above or below the normal, or when a pig has passed the lever.

6. The combination in means for conveying metal to the pots of linotype and similar machines, of a pot; a guide for a metalpig; a pivoted stirrup arranged to engage the lower end of the pig; and a brake arranged to bear against the side of the pi said SlkllZG and stirrup being actuated on the movement of the pot.

7. The combination in a metal pot of a linotype, or similar machine, of a guide mounted on the pot for a pig of type metal; a pivoted stirrup adapted to engage the end of the pig and mounted so as to have a certain amount of longitudinal movement; a spring for lifting the stirrup when not supporting a pig; a dog pivoted to the stirrup; a brake; a lever foroperating the brake; and a pin on the brake arranged to actuate the stirrup through the dog when the stirrup is depressed by the weight of the pig.

8. The combination in a metal feeder for linotype and similar machines, of a metal pig; a guide for the pig as it is fed into the pot; a pivotally mounted stirrup slotted at its pivots so as to have a lengthwise movement, as well as a pivotal movement; a pivoted brake arranged to bear against the side of a pig, said brake having an arm; a lever engaging the arm; a rocker having an arm located in the path of the lever; a float in the pot having a rod located under the arm of the rocker; a dog pivotally mounted on the stirrup; a spring for raising the dog, said dog having an elongated slot; a pivot pin mounted in the slot; and a pin on the brake so arranged that when the stirrup is depressed by the weight of the pig, the dog will be moved into position to be actuated by the pin on the brake on the movement thereof.

9. The combination of a melting pot; a plate mounted on the melting pot and having a cylindrical extension projecting into the pot; a guide mounted on the plate and adapted to receive a pig of type metal; a pivoted stirrup projecting beyond the extension and arranged to engage the lower end of a pig; a brake'pivotally mounted on the lower end of the extension and arranged to bear upon the side of the pig; a float in the pot; and means controlled by the pot for releasing the brake and withdrawing the stirrup so that the pig will be fed a given distance and will be held by the brake.

10. The combination in an automatic 'metal feeding device for linotype and similar machines of a melting pot arranged to be moved to and from a plate through which the metal is projected; means for stopping the machine in the form of a slide having a given movement; a dog arranged to be pro jected in the path of the slide; means for holding the dog in position to stop the machine when the pig is in a certain position, or when the molten metal in the pot is above or below the normal level; and means for feeding the pig into the pot.

11, The combination in a linotype, or similar machine, of a movable pot for molten metal; a guide for a pig of metal; a brake bearing against the pig; a stirrup arranged to extend under the pig; a lever for actuating the brake, the brake, in turn, actuating the stirrup; a pivoted rocker having an arm in the path of the lever; a lever located at the side of the first mentioned lever and having a weighted upper end extending lat erally, the lower arm of the lever bearing against the side of the pig, when the pig is in position in the guide, the second lever actuating the rocker when the pig has passed beyond the end of the said lever; a float in the pot having a rod in line with the arm of the rocker and arranged to actuate the rocker when the metal in the pot is above or below the normal, said rocker having two pins; a lever pivotally mounted on the fixed portion of the machine and having an extension, one pin of the rocker being located below the other arm of the lever so that the said lever will be moved in the same direction whether the rocker is raised or lowered; a sliding bar controlling the mechanism for stopping the machine; and a dog arranged to be projected into the path of said bar, the extension of the lever being so arranged in respect to the dog that when the lever is moved bythe rocker the extension will rest back of the dog and will prevent the movement of the slide.

JOHN HENRY W. KNOOP. 

